---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: About the last Exodus: Virtually every…"
description: "\"“About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian Jews had to choose between “to leave or not to leave” as it has been many times during the la..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg"
---

#  About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian…

![“About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian Jews had to choose between “to leave or not to leave” as it has been many times during the last two thousand years of Jewish history.” quote by Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg)

> ““About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian Jews had to choose between “to leave or not to leave” as it has been many times during the last two thousand years of Jewish history.””

[Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Russian Jews repeatedly faced the dilemma of exile, reflecting a long pattern of forced migration.

**In simple terms:** Jewish people often had to choose whether to leave.

Key Takeaway

Recognize historical cycles of displacement.

Themes

migration identity choice history

Mood

somber thoughtful

Type

historical analytical

When to use this quote

- refugee crises
- family decisions
- policy debates

Key Concepts

diaspora survival cultural continuity

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors drive repeated migrations?
- How does this history shape modern identity?

A Different Perspective

Historical context may differ across regions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Exodus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exodus/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jewish history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewish-history/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/)

## Related quotes

> [In the modern era, Jewish sovereignty over the land of our ancestors is a relatively short phenomenon. From the time of the successful Maccabean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-sr/in-the-modern-era-jewish-sovereignty-over-the-land-of-our-ancestors/)

[Edgar Bronfman, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-sr/)

> [As my name might suggest, I'm Jewish. My grandparents were Polish and Russian Jews who came to Australia in the late 1920s, and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-perlman/as-my-name-might-suggest-i-m-jewish-my-grandparents-were-polish-and/)

[Elliot Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-perlman/)

> [If the main thing the next generations know about Jewish history is that we were persecuted and suffered, they will lose sight of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-lipstadt/if-the-main-thing-the-next-generations-know-about-jewish-history-is/)

Deborah Lipstadt

> [None of the participants ever arrived at a clear understanding of the actual horror of Auschwitz, which is of a different nature from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/none-of-the-participants-ever-arrived-at-a-clear-understanding-of-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My experience as a Jewish American has often been as a spectator of one-sided conversations, or more like monologues, about Israel, Jewish History, Jewish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-soloway/my-experience-as-a-jewish-american-has-often-been-as-a-spectator-of/)

[Jill Soloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-soloway/)

> [In Jewish history there are no coincidences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/in-jewish-history-there-are-no-coincidences/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [“IN THE fifteenth century, a swampy parcel of land in the sestieri of Cannaregio was set aside for the construction of a new brass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/in-the-fifteenth-century-a-swampy-parcel-of-land-in-the-sestieri-of/)

[Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/)

> [Won't it be wonderful when black history and native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/won-t-it-be-wonderful-when-black-history-and-native-american-history/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [It's very clear from Biblical history and Jewish history that Jewish monotheism wasn't developed in an instant, that it became gradually the accepted norm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/it-s-very-clear-from-biblical-history-and-jewish-history-that-jewish/)

[Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/)

> [ Major Trends \[is\] the canonical modern work on the nature and history of Jewish mysticism. For a sophisticated understanding, not only of the dynamics… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yosef-hayim-yerushalmi/major-trends-is-the-canonical-modern-work-on-the-nature-and-history/)

Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi

> [“Jewish history is never simply about the Jews, but always about their relationship with the rest of society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-green/jewish-history-is-never-simply-about-the-jews-but-always-about-their/)

Abigail Green

> [“North Lawndale's Jewish People's Institute actively encouraged blacks to move into the neighborhood, seeking to make it a 'pilot community for interracial living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/north-lawndale-s-jewish-people-s-institute-actively-encouraged-blacks/)

[Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/)

> [Zionism is the most stupendous fallacy in Jewish history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgenthau-sr/zionism-is-the-most-stupendous-fallacy-in-jewish-history/)

Henry Morgenthau, Sr

> [Jewish history turns out not to be an either/or story - as in, either pure Judaism detached from its surroundings or else assimilation -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/jewish-history-turns-out-not-to-be-an-either-or-story-as-in-either/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [There is more to Jewish history than Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-gary/there-is-more-to-jewish-history-than-auschwitz/)

[Romain Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-gary/)

## More by Leo Pevsner

> [“About Russia: Ironically, in the country where common people’s dislike and fear of their state takes place, we can hear much more talks about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-russia-ironically-in-the-country-where-common-people-s-dislike/)

[Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

> [“About Jewish loyalty: What we have seen from history is practical Jewish approach to the country of residence: loyalty in exchange of the equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-jewish-loyalty-what-we-have-seen-from-history-is-practical/)

[Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

> [“About Jews: The phenomenon of why Jews have kept the unanimity of a distinctive culture is because combination of the persecution and specific Jewish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-jews-the-phenomenon-of-why-jews-have-kept-the-unanimity-of-a/)

[Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

> [“About immigrants from Russia: Soviet consciousness overlapped with the new American spirits has formed a specific and divisive culture. This culture is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-immigrants-from-russia-soviet-consciousness-overlapped-with-the/)

[Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

[Explore all 5 Leo Pevsner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/)

## More Exodus quotes

> [The trees are white with dust, that o'er their sleep Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath, While underneath such leafy tents they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-trees-are-white-with-dust-that-o-er-their-sleep-wave-their-broad/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [If I'm ever feeling uninspired, all I have to do is go see Exodus or Arch Enemy, and think 'Oh yeah, that's what we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-king/if-i-m-ever-feeling-uninspired-all-i-have-to-do-is-go-see-exodus-or/)

[Kerry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-king/)

> [ “This magnificent poem \[Exodus 15:1-21\] has been much analyzed, dissected, scanned, and compared with an array of supposed precedent and counterpart works. It has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-i-durham/this-magnificent-poem-exodus-15-1-21-has-been-much-analyzed-dissected/)

John I. Durham

> [What of the Exodus? That too, is a wonderful story, but from the viewpoint of an historian, it is - to use a word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-of-the-exodus-that-too-is-a-wonderful-story-but-from-the/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [“Some would do just about anything for an exodus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-martin-jr/some-would-do-just-about-anything-for-an-exodus/)

[Michael L. Martin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-martin-jr/)

> [It is quite exhilarating to speak about a God who has an incredible bias, a notorious bias in favor of the downtrodden. You look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/it-is-quite-exhilarating-to-speak-about-a-god-who-has-an-incredible/)

[Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/)

> [Jews read the books of Moses not just as history but as divine command. The question to which they are an answer is not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/jews-read-the-books-of-moses-not-just-as-history-but-as-divine/)

[Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/)

> [“The ritual of the blood on the lintel of the door, which protected the Israelites from the angel of death, is an apotropaic (avoidance)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/the-ritual-of-the-blood-on-the-lintel-of-the-door-which-protected-the/)

[Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/)

> [The God of Exodus is the God of history and of political liberation more than he is the God of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-gutierrez/the-god-of-exodus-is-the-god-of-history-and-of-political-liberation/)

[Gustavo Gutiérrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-gutierrez/)

> [There's something really powerful when I, for example, hear Bob Marley's 'Exodus' - we know where we're going. We know where we're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/there-s-something-really-powerful-when-i-for-example-hear-bob-marley/)

[Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/)

> [ I read the text; and then I come to the Shirat ha-Yam, to the Song of the Sea \[Exodus 15\], to the poetry. Who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-read-the-text-and-then-i-come-to-the-shirat-ha-yam-to-the-song-of/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [With all due respect for the wondrous ways people have invented to amuse themselves and one another on paved surfaces, I find that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/with-all-due-respect-for-the-wondrous-ways-people-have-invented-to/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [I personally have no doubt that the Exodus occurred. How it occurred, I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-personally-have-no-doubt-that-the-exodus-occurred-how-it-occurred-i/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [ That \[Exodus\] occurred, I have no doubt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/that-exodus-occurred-i-have-no-doubt/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [Metal is easily my favorite thing - Exodus and Anthrax and Megadeth - so it just kind of organically came through in the standup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/metal-is-easily-my-favorite-thing-exodus-and-anthrax-and-megadeth-so/)

[Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/)

[Browse all 89 Exodus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exodus/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian Jews had to choose between “to leave or not to leave” as it has been many times during the last two thousand years of Jewish history.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leo Pevsner"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-one-of-us-russian-jews-had-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Exodus"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-one-of-us-russian-jews-had-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/leo-pevsner-62501_history_about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-on_1368488.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“About the last Exodus: Virtually every one of us Russian Jews had to choose between “to leave or not to…” — Leo Pevsner",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Leo Pevsner",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“About the last Exodus: Virtually every...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-one-of-us-russian-jews-had-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-the-last-exodus-virtually-every-one-of-us-russian-jews-had-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
